As Summer 2011 fades into memory: Road Trip, Part III: Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

I thought it was quite suiting to end the final days of Summer 2011 with my last blog post of the season on my Summer 2011 family vacation.  So, to re-cap we started in San Francisco and stayed for two days, dropped by Santa Cruz for a couple of hours on the way to the final three days in Carmel.

Carmel is situated on the central California coast just south of Monterey.  The Carmel of today is well known for its unique downtown filled with upscale restaurants and a thriving art scene.  Lots of conspicuous wealth, but I am struck by its unique architecture that heralds back to Carmel's bohemian beginnings.  With the 1905 founding of the Carmel Arts and Crafts Club and the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Carmel saw in influx of writers, poets, actors and artists looking for new roots.  Jack London wrote about the 'artists colony' in Carmel in his book, Valley of the Moon.  Carmel was frequented by the likes of Upton Sinclair and Sinclair Lewis among other famous painters, poets and actors.  This bohemian culture stands the test of time today in Carmel and is a unique destination in California.

Carmel also has what I feel is one of the top five beaches in California - number one in my book.  Bleach white sands that are immaculately clean and soft to the touch.

So, after a hectic, but fun stay in San Francisco, the calm, leisurely pace of Carmel was very welcome.  Here are some of the sights we experience during the three days we were there:

A really nice use of bamboo coupled with flowers.  No idea what variety this is.

A Magnum P.I. Convention in Carmel?  Maybe not.  Or maybe it was a gathering of a club of Ferrari enthusiasts. Which it was. Couldn't resist snapping a photo of five Ferrari's parked in a row, not a sight you see everyday...

Beautiful bamboo that contrasts nicely against the Spanish-walls.

How could you not walk down this alley way...

...when it looks like this. Be still my little Bamboo Geek heart!

Unique Carmel architecture.

A nice place to rest after all that walking.  In the middle of the planting is Plieoblastus viridistriatus 'Dwarf Greenstripe', a short, vibrant running bamboo.

A Monterey Pine against the afternoon sun.

Our vacation home...

...in my dreams!  This is where we stayed and we loved it!

Farewell Summer 2011!  Welcome Fall....

Sean
Mad Man Bamboo - Rocklin, CA
(916) 300-6335
www.madmanbamboo.com
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